Spring Home Preparation: Pros and Cons of Power-Washing Your Home

Unfortunately, no matter what we do to keep our homes looking nice (replacing mulch and rocks, planting, fertilizing grass, etc.), the exterior of our homes will develop grime and dirt over the years that is hard to stray attention from. As you are jumping in with your spring cleaning, we recommend occasionally power-washing your home! Power washing is a simple method to help give a house a new, fresh, clean look from the outside.

Power Washing

Power washing, often called pressure washing, is a method of cleaning the exterior of homes with highly pressurized water. This method uses water to forcibly remove grime, dirt, and stains. Here are some pros and cons of this process:

Pros

1.  Effective

The internet is loaded with tutorials on how to remove dirt and grime from your house, but the truth is, many of them simply don’t work. Whether it’s material discoloration, rust and oxidation, dirt, or a myriad of other things, certain methods will only work for certain conditions.

However, power-washing your home is a fantastic way to guarantee a clean home exterior. There’s little that’s able to withstand the power of pressure washing the outside of your house, making it great for year-old staining that seems as though it has passed the point of no return.

2.  Cleaning Wooden Beams

Believe it or not, you can actually restore a wooden beam to it’s original shine without sanding it down. A lot of the mold and mildew that develops in the fibers of a board can be pushed out using a power washer.

So, if your deck is starting to look a little dated and weathered, pull out a pressure washer and watch it work its magic!

Cons

1.  Damage

Depending on the material you are using a power washer on, you may end up causing damage. Some types of siding are incredibly thin, making them susceptible to breakage during a pressure wash. So, if you plan on pressure washing things besides concrete, wood, metal, or other durable surfaces, make sure to do your research!

2.  Health Concerns

Yes – believe or not, using a power washer can cause health concerns such as inflammation or even tendinitis. Power washers use an immense amount of pressure while inducing a lot of vibration during use. Using a power washer for extended periods of time without a proper technique for holding them can very quickly result in tendinitis.

If you plan on using a pressure washer this season, do some research on proper methods for wielding one. It sounds silly, but yes, tools (even a power washer) can be dangerous without correct technique.